Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONGS OF THE DAYS AND NIGHTS: SONGS OF THE SUMMER DAYS, by GEORGE MACDONALD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: A glory on the chamber wall! Last Line: Leads back to golden morn. Subject(s): Calm; Day; Dreams; Life; Nature; Summer; Placid; Undisturbed; Tranquility; Nightmares | ||||||||
I. A GLORY on the chamber wall! A glory in the brain! Triumphant floods of glory fall On heath, and wold, and plain. Earth lieth still in hopeless bliss; She has, and seeks no more; Forgets that days come after this, Forgets the days before. Each ripple waves a flickering fire Of gladness, as it runs; They laugh and flash, and leap and spire, And toss ten thousand suns. But hark! low, in the world within, One sad æolian tone: "Ah! shall we ever, ever win A summer of our own?" II. A MORN of winds and swaying trees Earth's jubilance rushing out! The birds are fighting with the breeze; The waters heave about White clouds are swept across the sky, Their shadows o'er the graves; Purpling the green, they float and fly Athwart the sunny waves. The long grassan earth-rooted sea Mimics the watery strife. To boat or horse? Wild motion we Shall find harmonious life. But whither? Roll and sweep and bend Suffice for Nature's part; But motion to an endless end Is needful for our heart. III. THE morn awakes like brooding dove, With outspread wings of gray; Her feathery clouds close in above, And roof a sober day. No motion in the deeps of air! No trembling in the leaves! A still contentment everywhere, That neither laughs nor grieves! A film of sheeted silver gray Shuts in the ocean's hue; White-winged feluccas cleave their way In paths of gorgeous blue. Dream on, dream on, O dreamy day, Thy very clouds are dreams! Yon child is dreaming far away He is not where he seems. IV. THE lark is up, his faith is strong, He mounts the morning air; Lone voice of all the creature throng, He sings the morning prayer. Slow clouds from north and south appear, Black-based, with shining slope; In sullen forms their might they rear, And climb the vaulted cope. A lightning flash, a thunder boom ! Nor sun nor clouds are there; A single, all-pervading gloom Hangs in the heavy air. A weeping, wasting afternoon Weighs down the aspiring corn; Amber and red, the sunset soon Leads back to golden morn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GIVE YOUR WISH LIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS LOST AND FOUND by GEORGE MACDONALD THAT HOLY THING by GEORGE MACDONALD THE BABY, FR. AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND by GEORGE MACDONALD |
|